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The last alphabet Z is for Zoo in Tossing it out – the last one on the A to Z April 2013 challenge!! I want to taken a moment and think through on what happened in the month of April and how i chance hit on the atoz challenge – while i decided to write about Indian regional movies on the same topic selected by Arlee on his blog, I was unaware of how much of fun and challenge it is to get this done!! Thanks to the team who initiated this challenge and specifically to Arlee!

While there are many movies around animals and some scenes on zoo, this movie called Annai or aalayam is evergreen in my memory. This is a 1979 Tamil regional movie which was a family drama with typical mother sentiments around an orphaned elephant. The little elephant and its naughty actions were a great attraction for me at that time – i remember pestering my parents to go and watch this movie the second time in the movie hall – which in those days is a real luxury. The hero (who is a hunter) ensures that the little elephant is united with its mother at the end of the movie and the entire movie revolves around the little elephant. One specific song sequence where the little elephant equally dances with the hero/heroine is something very interesting.

India is one of the world’s oldest living civilizations – many great leaders, philosophers, saints, scientists, mathematicians (Aryabatta gave zero to the world) have been helping the world (beyond India) and making it a better place to live for all of us. While there are many movies across India depicting the life stories of many, what came to mind as a first movie (I believe that probably is the best movie in my view) is the life story of a Hindu saintSri Raghavendra who lived in late 1500 and early 1600. While he is a hindu religious saint, he is also a philosopher (like most of the religious saints across the world) and supported the humanity at large with his supernatural powers – people believed that he was the reason behind many miracles which helped them!

While Sri Raghavendra was a well known saint across the south of India, this 1985 regional movie Sri Raghavendra definitely made its mark – when Rajnikanth played the main role, people were stumped! He had been an action hero till then and in his 100th movie, he played the saint which was a surprise to many of his fans – apparently, he did well and even today, when I think of Raghavendra, this movie and his good acting fills my memory.

While it is a lot to talk about any saint across the world among various religions, the common factor tying all of them is their extreme devotion in making this society and world a better place to live for many generations to come! They did it through religion, god, philosophy, music, literature, etc. I salute all those saints across the world – reminds me of the song Endaro Mahanubhavulu from Indian Carnatic music written by saint Thiyagaraja – which means “salutations to all those great men of the world!!”

If you grew up in south of India in the 80s, you obviously are aware of the rise of the new culture of having heroes who are just your next-door-guy looks – Rajnikanth was one such phenomenon and while he rose to the fame doing negative roles, the most important messaging in all his movies were EVIL PERISHES and GOOD PERSISTS. Rajnikanth was also intelligent enough to convey his own self-image among his fans as the most humble, hardworking soul – intelligent because it takes a lot of effort to project yourself as your are in the movie industry – with all the paparazzi around you trying to project you so that everything about you is sensational news for the many readers and movie goers out there!! I believe he is one

Baasha (2009) movie was one of his best Gangster movies – where again EVIL PERISHES and GOOD PERSISTS. It had the required mix for a box-office hit – action, family drama, music and dance and those punch dialogues – “Naa oru tharava sonna Nooru thara sonna madhiri” (If I tell once, it is equal to telling it 100 times).

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Ok, by this time it is established that Rajni’s Endiran is a big hit and he is THE talk of the town. I read multiple reviews and news about Rajni in the past two weeks – but this article in Bangalore mirror by Lakshmi lingers in me……..the listed reasons for being a superstar are real good and unique – a quick lesson for anyone who wants to be the leaders in their career and in life.

Never over sell

Talk less

Never flash off

Be polite and unassuming

Be yourself

It made me realize that I have never seen Rajni in any commercials so far!! Amazing!!

Rajni continues to evoke the same sense of awe in me…may be it is something which has become a habit from the childhood – starting from primary school, i remember waiting with granny in the queue outside the theatres – much earlier than the showtime, so that we get the tickets first [Granny always thought it is important to get the seats in the front rows to get a clearer view of the movie and the sound!! :) ]

It is always a happy memory – watching any of Rajni’s movies ……..while it was his style and stunts which enticed us during our childhood days, it was the mass appeal when we were in college (our classmates could all invariably agree if it is a Rajni movie over the fluid dynamics lab!) – but over the period of time, when i grew out of the stunts and mass appeal, it is extremely intriguing to watch Rajni “BEING HIMSELF” , when he is offscreen….

BEING HIMSELF

When my kids watch him in the screen on and off movies, they are surprised that how transformed he is in movies – nevertheless, i can feel even the little one has taken an interest in watching him.

BEING PROFESSIONAL - ON SCREEN MAGIC

Cut over to present….. – it is the big show in Malaysia – ‘ Enthiran’ music release day – realyed in TV – Rajni walks in – stylish – a very simple trousers and formal shirts, no make up, but the style….he was on stage….he talks and laughts……. – i was totally engrossed – he was funny , quoting on how he felt working with Aishwarya (Amitabhji telling me ‘Rajni …Khabardar’)…he was hum ble, praising all the lead players in the film….and when he talked about AR Rahman – he said the three factors which is unique about ARR and why ARR is more of a yogi (dressed in black formals!)

1. ARR is hardworking and sincere , 2. ARR has chose the path of love (path of love Vs path of hate) and 3. ARR has surrendered to the super power (‘Ella pugazhum Irayvannuke’).

It was such an amazing consolidation by Rajni – but what was more striking was that all the three holdsgood much better for Rajni !!! Call him being humble!!

ps – I found Ani has also posted about this – No wonder why Rajni fans were upset that he is too humble!